A COMPARATIVE STUDY TO EVALUATE THE OUTCOME OF PONSETI'S TECHNIQUE AND ACCELERATED PONSETI'S TECHNIQUE FOR CORRECTION OF CLUBFOOT

Abstract

Introduction: Clubfoot is a common congenital deformity with incidence of1-6.8/1000 live births. Ponseti method is currently the gold standard for treatment of clubfoot which conventionally involves weekly plaster changes. A prospective comparative study was carried out at our hospital where we compared one group with weekly plaster change to other group with twice weekly plaster change, using the classical Ponseti protocol of manipulation. A total 50 feet (36 children ), divided into two Methods: groups, were randomly allocated to either Group 1 – 25 feet(accelerated Ponseti) or Group 2 – 25 feet (standard Ponseti). Group 2 underwent serial manipulations and casting once a week and Group 1 received manipulations and castings twice a week. Pirani score was documented at the time of presentation, after each cast, and at the time of removalof nal cast to assess the success of treatment ( Pirani score ≤1). A tota Results: l 43 feet (29 patients) underwent the entire course of treatment, while 7 patients discontinued the treatment during the course of the study. 14 patients, i.e, 21 feet were treated with Accelerated Ponseti Protocol (APP),i.e Group -1, and 15 patients, i.e, 22 feet were treated with Standard Ponseti Protocol (SPP), i.e Group-2. Mean duration of treatment from the rst cast to tenotomy in the accelerated ponseti protocol group was 20.57 ± 4.5 days (ranging from 12 to 29 days), and in standard ponseti protocol group was 39.66 ± 6.9 days (ranging from 29 to 51 days). Conclusion: Both the methods proved to be equally efcacious for the management of clubfoot in our study. However, the accelerated method had an overall shorter treatment duration making it convenient for the parents. As the patient is under direct observation of surgeons, complications, in any, are detected early and easily. Overall, the accelerated technique is more practical, benecial, and equally efcacious as standard ponseti technique, providing a more rapid correction of the deformity.